Ian Wright and James Haskell have both left the I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Jungle this week. As the two most contentious figures in of the series so far, it was no surprise that their exit interviews involved some tough questions. But their respective reactions prove there are two very different ways to respond to allegations of toxic masculinity.
During their time in the jungle, both Haskell and Wright demonstrated aggressive and domineering attitudes, often impacting the entire mood of the camp with their outbursts or patronising arguments. Viewers quickly grew tired of their behaviour, with many blaming them for ‘ruining’ this season.
However, with both men now voted out of the show, fans are also drawing comparisons between their exit interviews. Ant and Dec were quick to show the men video montages of their worst behaviour, with Haskell seemingly blaming the camp for his short temper compared to Wright’s self-reflection.
‘I’m like that in life,’ Haskell said after watching the clip. ‘Being in a team sport you’ve got to just cut through the nonsense so it might sound chippy but I just can’t abide inefficiency.’
Laughing off his aggression and seemingly not noticing how nonsensical his definition of chivalry is, his interview was a world away from Wrights.
‘The challenge I got wasn’t the one I expected, it was more a mental thing,’ he said. ‘I have a lot of work to do and I learnt a lot about myself.
‘I’ve got to be a little bit calmer,’ he continued. ‘I just feel like I lose it too quickly, it’s something I’ve worked a lot on and I try to stay in control but in this experience I’m going to look back on certain things and learn from what the mistakes I’ve made in here.’
In fact, Wright even opened up about getting counselling for his anger issues, saying that he has taken up golf as a hobby – on the advice of his counsellor – in order to manage his temperament.
His response has subsequently been praised by fans. ‘The difference between this interview and James’ yesterday is massive,’ one fan tweeted watching the show. ‘One admits to his mistakes and the other refuses to see how wrong he was and instead shouts about how great he is.’
It goes to show that actually, when it comes to toxic masculinity, there is a right and a wrong way to handle it. Because, we are all victim to the same society that enforces specific gender norms. It’s how you combat the problems those norms create that matters.
Wright openly noting where his own toxic behaviour impacts others and admitting he needs help (and actually getting it) breaks that cycle, whereas Haskell’s ignorance and overinflated opinion of himself not only impacts everyone around him but sets a terrible example for others – be it his peers or, as a public figure, his fans.
So perhaps, despite apparently 'ruining' the show, there is value in watching Haskell and Wright’s friendship on-screen. If nothing else, it proved that grouping toxic men together impacts everyone, and separating them can immediately improve both their individual behaviour and that of those around them.
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